Those Who Walk in Blood (Inactive)

Game Master Stalwart

The Missions of the Red Mantis Assassins

Emeraldvale

Courthouse


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Orsal's background needs tinkering and his equipment needs finalizing. But he's mostly done.

cheers


This is stormraven with an applicant... He is pretty much entirely done. Depending on what you decide regarding whether or not sabres can take advantage of Weapon Finesse, I may need to swap out a feat.

Background:
Deep in the heart of Taldor, hidden in the forbidding and wind-swept Dragonscar Mountains, nestles the quiet mining village of Solwetta high above the Valley of the Azlant. The village is quiet because it holds a secret. In addition to modest amounts of coal, some minerals, and the odd gemstone, Solwetta produces and exports assassins (Raised in Secrecy). It is something of a 'cottage industry' for the four families that founded the village.

Some years ago, one of the four families produced a son whose skills and abilities suggested he would make a fine addition to the legacy of Solwetta's lucrative and murderous exports. From an early age, his gifts were apparent and his fascination with the God Achaekek appeared to destine him for a position with the Red Mantis. His training proceeded without impediment and he absorbed the skills of his art with such ease that it truly seemed as if Achaekek favored the boy. (Fate's Favored)

The training regime was as long as it was thorough, taking ten years to complete. And it was time that posed the largest hurdle for the youth. After a few years, it became clear the boy was aging far more slowly than the rest of his family, The villagers saw this as a blessing. The Red Mantis agents monitoring the boy's progress were concerned and sought to find the cause of his longevity. With some effort they discovered that somewhere in the distant past a Celestial had tainted the family's bloodline. While the boy looked human he was, in fact, Aasimar. (Scion of Humanity) It wasn't a desirable quality in an assassin or a servant of Achaekek.

On completion of his training and first kill, he adopted the name Red Minister - call him 'Red' - as his nom de guerre. The Mantises warily accepted the young man into their ranks despite their reservations about his blood. While flexible when it came to killing, the Mantises proved inflexible when it came to the behavior and heritage of their members. Their new recruit was constantly watched, subtly shunned for his heritage, and found that few mantises wanted to work with him. The ones that did were other mantises under clouds of suspicion of their own.

His behavior did him no favors either. Most holy Mantis agents were fanatical and zealous in their praise for Achaekek. Red was devout but reserved, leaving words of Achaekek's glories to others... which incidentally raised more unjustified doubts about his loyalties.

Red has been with the Mantises for many years now and time's passage has done little to assuage their suspicions or thaw their cold reception of him. He's grown used to their indifference and tries to stay at arm's length from the hard-liners in the organization. His faith in Achaekek buoys his resolve and keeps him in the Mantises to continue the holy work. As a practical way of avoiding distrustful agents, Red works almost exclusively with another Mantis pariah and fellow Solwetta villager called Blackstone, the son of one his childhood friends.

Personality:
Red considers assassination a sacrament, a skill-set, and an art. He tries to emulate the Praying Mantis in how he strikes. He blends into his environment, watches his target patiently, and then kills in a blur of motion with precise and deadly strikes - no wasted motion. At least, that is the definition of perfection for which he strives. On the job, therefore, Red is a thoughtful, patient planner who surveys his target and looks for the opportune time and way to strike that will ensure quick success and escape.

Red takes joy in enacting the sacrament of his deity but not in the killing itself. He isn't a sadist or even particularly malicious. In the holy rite of assassination, when performed correctly, only the target dies. To that end, Red avoids collateral damage if at all possible. When not on the hunt, he is a friendly man and tries to avoid trouble. He doesn't gut mouthy shop-keeps just because they are rude or cheat him. He is quite capable of charity and kindness, both to expand the faith of his church and also - as a practical matter - to forge relationships that will benefit him in his work. As the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

A bit about me: I've played and DM'd long-term evil campaigns before, so I'm over the whole "wanton destruction cuz I can!" phase. I think Evil is as nuanced as Good and I enjoy playing in those nuances... so I don't do the typical moustache-twirling, maniacal laughter, debased-maddog-killer-cutting-down-NPCs-that-dare-look-at-him-wrong thing.

Character Tie-In:
After some chatting with Eben (Blackstone), we are going to tie our characters together as a team. We've built our characters to make up for each other's deficiencies and think they'd work well as a unit.


I had a crazy-busy weekend, but am planning to have my submission up in the morning. I hope you're still accepting applicants at that time. :)


I still am. Weekends are busy for some, light for others. I plan on closing applications at 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, EST. I hope to have my selections in a few hours after that.


A word on Yamyra's personality, post-backstory: I see her as coming to terms with her position and life over her time as a Red Mantis. Due to this, she has recovered some of the famous halfling cheer. I plan on playing her as rather happy-go-lucky. When she kills it's as a job, without any emotions attached. She neither likes nor hates it, it's just what she does. She's definitely not going to be bloodthirsty or savage. I've found after playing Way of the Wicked that's it's much more fun to be subtle and lay a masterfully planned trap, which when sprung the opponent/target is dead before they even know what hit them. Keeping a low profile is the best way to be evil, IMHO.

A word on her mechanics: I built her to do stuff like this. Obviously she's only three feet tall, so she often goes for the head, and uses her legs and speed a lot. But the idea is to hide, and then grab people and shank them before they know what's going on. She'll be going Swashbuckler for the next several levels. At level 6 she'll snatch her third level of Daring Infiltraitor and get "Silence Is Golden (Ex): At 3rd level, when a daring infiltrator with at least 1 panache point succeeds at a trip or grapple combat maneuver check, the target is rendered mute for 1 round. For every 5 by which the result of the combat maneuver check exceeds the opponent's CMD, the target remains mute for an additional round. A mute creature cannot speak, use language-dependent effects or verbal components, or use command words. This deed replaces menacing swordplay." So she'll be able to kill silently as well. She could potentially take some levels of the Red Mantis class at that point. We'll see!

All of this is if I get picked of course.


Recruitment status update

Where we stand with about 36 hours left:

Champion of the Blessed: 5 good starts. I'd love to see any one of them brought to life.
Daniel Stewart: Zarko, Human urban ranger. Trait: Raised in Secrecy Complete
Pertreeko: Tengu swordmaster. Trait: Azir Native. Complete
GM Niles: Unnamed cleric. Human cleric, maybe inquisitor. Trait: Offered as Payment. Complete
mechaPoet: Deka the Bilge Rat. Human or tiefling swashbuckler/Inquisitor. Trait: Ilizmagorti Native. Waiting on build
giganinja: Eris Triguna, Kitsune Rakshasa-bloodline sorcerer. Trait: Raised in Secrecy. Complete
FangDragon: Sakage "Kage," Stygian slayer. Trait: Tith'Kali. Complete
Mark Sweetman: Halfling Swashbuckler (mouser). Trait: Ilizmagorti Native. Complete
Digger Chandler: Cassandra Zamparelli, Half-elf Rogue/Investigator. Trait: Vengeance Was Mine. Waiting on backstory
Jubal Breakbottle: Orsal Hort, Half-elf Slayer. Trait: Offered as Payment. Complete
aptinuviel: Qalendar, Human Witch. Trait: Raised in Secrecy. Complete
AdamWarnock: Jack, Tiefling fighter/ranger. Trait: Vengeance Was Mine.Complete
Dax Thura: Jon-Wyn, Half-Elf Rogue/Arcanist. Trait: Raised in Secrecy. Complete
Jelani:Yamyra Demir, Halfling Brawler/Monk/Swashbuckler. Trait: Vengeance Was Mine. Complete
Stormraven: The Red Minister, Aasimar Rogue/Warpriest. Trait: Raised in Secrecy. Complete

Lots of great applicants here. Only one Tith'Kali -- kinda surprising Choosing is going to be staggeringly difficult. I am so grateful for all the work you've put in these submissions. Great job, all of you.


I look forward to your decision. *bows*


Yeah its going to be a hard decision. Probably worth categorising each submission to make sure all the basics are covered (arcane, divine, brawn, and skill).

Good luck all.


Since time is winding down, I'd like to ask that those of you who posted your submissions early pop in with a quick note letting me know you're still interested. Nothing's more frustrating than choosing a crew and finding out someone dropped off before it even gets started. It also lets me know that you're paying attention. :)


Okay, I think I’ve got everything in order, here. I’d like to submit Kiddrik, the Blackstone (LE male human Bladebound, Kensai magus 4). Raised in Secret to take up the Red Mantis sabers. Believer in Achaekek’s bloody ideology. Inheritor of the Blackstone. Son of a fallen and dishonored assassin. And young man with a burning desire to prove to the Mantises that he is worthy.

Background:
Origins
Deep in the heart of Taldor, hidden in the forbidding and wind-swept Dragonscar Mountains, nestles the quiet mining village of Solwetta high above the Valley of the Azlant. The village is quiet because it holds a secret. In addition to modest amounts of coal, some minerals, and the odd gemstone, Solwetta produces and exports assassins (Raised in Secrecy). It is something of a 'cottage industry' for the four families that founded the village.

It was in this community that Kiddrik was raised … a small, quiet, black-headed boy with striking, pale blue eyes and a curious, sharp mind. Kiddrik’s father was Mattin Black, a tallish Taldan man who shared his young son’s quiet nature, sharp mind, black hair, and pale blue eyes. Kiddrik has no memories of his mother, nor of Mattin speaking of her. Mattin and Kiddrik lived a mostly quiet life in their strange little Red Mantis village, with Mattin making a modest living as a carpenter between assignments for the Red Mantis Assassins.

Kiddrik—known as Kidd by most of the town—grew as most boys do. And while he wasn’t the quickest to make friends, he grew up playing the games of his village. Between working with his da and receiving the lessons and training given by the four founding families, he made a few friends in the hills around his home … hunting imaginary beasts, winning imaginary wars, and slaying imaginary targets (Highlander). He was a natural athlete and a quick learner. And, as his mind got more curious, his da began teaching him the ways of the Red Mantis magus (Magical Lineage). Simple cantrips he memorized as he ate breakfast. Basic sword forms he worked with a wooden practice saber. And the basic, still somewhat complicated tenets of the community’s beliefs … the beliefs of the Red Mantis.

It might not be the normal life of most young Taldans, but Kidd remembers it fondly. It was the simplest time in his life, and he grew into it well.

The Blackstone
A few years into Kiddrik’s life in Solwetta, his father was called away on an assignment. It was a common enough occurrence—as everyone in the community knew of Mattin’s role as an assassin—but this one was different somehow. When Mattin returned, he carried himself with a different air, and he carried a strange new blade … a saw-toothed saber that looked to be a shard of a single piece of finely-chiseled, light-eating, ice-born black stone. As always, he gave his son no details of the assignment, but he said the blade was a boon given for a tricky job done right. Well, rumors always spread like weeds in small villages, and—in this capacity—Solwetta was no different. It was whispered that the blade, commonly called the Blackstone, was given to Mattin at the Crimson Citadel for a uniquely trying assassination. No, it was gifted by the Blood Mistress herself. No, by Achaekek manifested… maybe one of the rumors were true, maybe none, but it made little difference. The Blackstone set Mattin apart and escalated his reputation. He became Mattin Blackstone, an assassin to be revered.

And Kiddrik became Kiddrik Blackstone.

A Father’s Legacy
More years passed, and Kiddrik continued to grow. He grew in size, the long hours at carpentry and bladestudy filling in his lean frame. He became the reflected image of his father .. tall, lean, and strong. He grew in his studies, artfully blending the forms of his bladework with the words and works of arcane power. And he grew in his understanding of the ways of his people, fully embracing the worldview of the Red Mantis. His beliefs took on a distinctly intellectual slant, but he internalized the rules and rights of the way of Achaekek, looking forward to the day when he was old enough to begin seeking his own membership. And in all this, he grew in arrogance (Drawback: pride). He was smarter than most of his contemporaries in the village. Stronger and more driven. He was a remarked-upon young man by those who watched the village.

And then that day came, nearly a decade ago. Mattin was called away once again. As always, a sixteen-year-old Kiddrik ached to go along—or to even know where his father went—but he knew better than to ask. Mattin was away for days, which turned into weeks that stretched into months. Assignments had rarely gone this long with no word from his da, but what could Kidd do but wait. Then, over a year later, word finally found its way back into Solwetta.

Failure.

Whatever the assignment. Whatever the target. Whatever the circumstances … Mattin Blackstone had failed. The Red Mantises don’t accept failure in the best of circumstances. To make things more odd, the Mantises came to Solwettta. They interviewed Kiddrik, they interviewed Mattin’s friends and associates. They searched Kiddrik’s house. Again, no details were revealed to Kidd, but the message was clear … Mattin had failed them in a way that warranted investigation, and the Mantises were eager to make an example.

Kiddrik became the object of curiosity, then of suspicion, and ultimately of scorn and isolation. The name Blackstone became a black mark that Kiddrik had to carry. When he found his father’s blade, he took it up. In the time since, he’s been trying to unlock its power … feeling a connection to the Blackstone he’s sure his father did before him. He wears it with a stubborn pride … a not so metaphorical black chip on his shoulder.

Kiddrik today
The last few years in Solwetta have been tough on Kiddrik. The village being his only home and training grounds, he’s pridefully and stubbornly refused to leave, instead doubling down on his efforts to make a name for himself with the Mantises. Kidd never found out if the rumors about his da—good or bad—were true, but he believes in himself and in the black blade.

In this time of training, he’s kept close counsel with one of the few people he feels is loyal to his da’s memory … the Red Minister. He views the older man as one part friend, one part older brother, and one part uncle. The man is as much a part of Kidd’s success as Mattin was, and Kidd is loyal to Red in a fierce way.

When the time came for his trials and tests, he threw himself into the tasks without pause. No matter the task, whether trying, demeaning, or mundane, Kiddrik pursues it with implacable resolve. When he finally earned his twin sabers, it was the first step to proving what he is. Who a Blackstone is … no matter what folks whisper.

Appearance & Personality:

Kiddrik is tall and lean with a powerful, athletic build. He’s pale-skinned with a shock of unruly black hair. With his blue eyes in an unremarkable, long-featured face, he’s pretty forgettable. He prefers to wear simple, comfortable, well-made clothes. Under these, he wears his ceremonial silks. He is never without his namesake blade—Blackstone—riding in its sheath on his back, the pommel peeking over his right shoulder.

Kiddrik is quiet. He is smart. And he is tenacious in his focus on a task. Kiddrik strikes a unique balance between careful, methodical preparation for any given task that quickly turns to a level of intense proactivity that some view as reckless, but is really just a supreme level of self-confidence. In fact, Kiddrik is as supremely confident in his own skills as his father ever was, and—because of the events around his father’s disappearance—feels the need to constantly prove himself to the Red Mantis Assassins. As such, he’s also incredibly touchy about his role and reputation within their ranks.

Build:

Blackstone (Coldstrike Kensai)
Male human (taldan) magus (bladebound, kensai) 4 (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 55, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 9, 47)
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Hero Points 1
Init +2; Senses Perception +8
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 deflection, +2 Dex, +3 dodge)
hp 31 (4d8+8)
Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +5
Defensive Abilities canny defense
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee blackstone +9 (1d8+5/19-20) or
. . mwk sawtooth sabre +9 (1d8+4/19-20) or
. . mwk sawtooth sabre +9 (1d8+4/19-20)
Special Attacks arcane pool (+1, 4 points), spell combat, spellstrike
Magus (Bladebound, Kensai) Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +7)
. . 2nd—frigid touch[UM]
. . 1st—rime frostbite[UM], shield, true strike
. . 0 (at will)—arcane mark, detect magic, ghost sound (DC 13)
--------------------
Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +3; CMB +7; CMD 23
Feats Additional Traits, Rime Spell[UM], Weapon Focus (sawtooth sabre)
Traits Raised in Secret, highlander (hills or mountains), magical lineage, reckless, seeker
Skills Acrobatics +9, Bluff +5, Climb +8, Craft (carpentry) +9, Diplomacy -1 (-3 vs. Creatures that threaten, accuse, or challenge you and haven't apologized), Disguise +0, Fly +6, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nobility) +5, Knowledge (planes) +7, Perception +8, Sense Motive +2 (+0 vs. Creatures that threaten, accuse, or challenge you and haven't apologized), Spellcraft +9, Stealth +9 (+11 in hilly or rocky areas), Swim +8; Racial Modifiers highlander (hills or mountains)
Languages Common, Infernal, Osiriani, Tien
SQ black blade, black blade: arcane pool, black blade: strike, black blade: telepathy, black blade: unbreakable, chosen weapon, hero points, perfect strike, pride
Combat Gear mask of the mantis, wand of infernal healing (50 charges); Other Gear +1 silken ceremonial armor, mwk sawtooth sabre, mwk sawtooth sabre, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, masterwork artisan's tools, 1,015 gp
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Special Abilities
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Arcane Pool +1 (4/day) (Su) Infuse own power into a held weapon, granting enhancement bonus or selected item powers.
Black Blade (Ex) You gain an intelligent bonded weapon whose power grows with your own.
Black Blade: Arcane Pool (1/day) (Su) The Black Blade has an Arcane Pool used to fuel its own abilities.
Black Blade: Strike +1 (Sp) The Black Blade can grant itself a damage bonus for 1 min.
Black Blade: Telepathy (Su) The magus can telepathically communicate with his black blade if it is worn or held.
Black Blade: Unbreakable (Ex) The Black Blade is immune to the broken condition while the arcane pool is not empty.
Canny Defense +3 (Ex) +INT bonus to AC (max Kensai level).
Chosen Weapon (Sawtooth sabre) Kensai abilities only function when wielding a weapon of this type.
Hero Points Hero Points can be spent at any time to grant a variety of bonuses.
Highlander (hills or mountains) +1 to Stealth checks, Stealth is always a class skill for you. Double this in hilly or rocky areas.
Magical Lineage (Frostbite) A chosen spell counts as 1 level lower when metamagic feats are applied to it.
Perfect Strike (Ex) Use 1 arcane pool to maximize weapon dam, or 2 for +1 to crit multiplier.
Pride -2 to diplomacy and sense motive vs. those who threaten, accuse, or challenge you, until they apologize
Rime Spell Spell with the cold descriptor also entangles creatures if the spell damages them
Spell Combat (Ex) Use a weapon with one hand at -2 and cast a spell with the other.
Spellstrike (Su) Deliver touch spells as part of a melee attack.
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Alternate build option:
Drop Rime Spell for Power Attack, Swap Magic Trait to pick up Bruising Intellect

Character Tie-in:
As stormraven referenced, we’ve decided that our characters share a history. While the two men never talk about Red’s old friend (and Kiddrik’s dad), Mattin, the shared experience of living through the man’s downfall bonded them. Kiddrik was built with a skillset meant to augment Red’s scouting/social capabilities … bringing a level of arcane might and martial oomph that the Red Minister can benefit from on assignments.

——

And just because I saw similar posts earlier, I can personally vouch for DM Jelani, Mark Sweetman, and Stormraven as excellent PbP players. They are dependable posters, proactive players who have a proven talent at role-play, all have a nice, narrative writing style, and—quite frankly—I've enjoyed being in games with all of them at some point or another.


I'm still interested :)

Liberty's Edge

Very much interested in this adventure!!!


Interested, of course.

Silver Crusade RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32

I am still interested! Just trying to work out the build. I've decided to go in a different direction than originally planned--the backstory and concept will remain the same, but I'm working on two different bard builds. I just can't choose between them right now. :P


Still here.


Don't know if I qualify for "early" interest, but just in case: Still very interested.


Still interested.


I'm definitely interested! Working on the delicious fluff now.


Cassandra's backstory, appearance, and personality.:
Cassandra Zamparelli was born to a minor Chelish noble family, rather low-ranking and undistinguished, despite efforts over the generations to "better themselves." When Cassandra was born, her family was heartbroken she wasn't a male heir. At least she was beautiful, they thought. She quickly became beloved by the other noble children, who would vie for her attention, even children from families with much higher standing. This saw the Zamparelli's being invited to more and more important functions and balls, and it didn't take long for Cassandra's father Anthony to figure out how and why.

What he didn't realize was that this change wasn't some accident, or a piece of luck with a beautiful child. By the age of seven, Cassandra had begun actively working to improve her family's rank. By the age of sixteen, she had almost surpassed her goal. And it all would have been fine if it wasn't for one grumpy old man. He was not charmed by her. He was not amazed by her. And, worse, he was the first person to see exactly what she was doing, and how planned and purposeful her invasion of high society had been.

When one of the Thrunes had an extravagant birthday party, this old man, Fernando Nicolardi, worked to get the Zamparellis off the invitation list. He even waited near the entrance to see their humiliation. And humiliated they were. Cassandra saw the old man chuckling to himself and knew what had happened.

The next day, Fernando's son found his father spread eagle on his bed with throat slit from ear to ear. No evidence pointed towards Cassandra, but the change in her did not go unnoticed. Her family name ruined by the gossip, Cassandra decided to leave stifling Cheliax with their ridiculous rules and join an organization that would really appreciate her gifts. The Pathfinders were all dreadfully dull and bookish. Aspis was just a bunch of dirty merchants deep down. But the Red Mantis Assassins? They were known and feared throughout Golarion. And she knew her particular skillset would make for a great assassin.

Cassandra is an incredibly striking 17 year old Chelish girl. Her cheekbones are high and angular and her hair black as the void. She stands tall at five foot nine inches, and has the figure of a woman in her twenties. Her light brown eyes take in much, and can smile almost as widely as her mouth.

Her personality might seem to switch around to outsiders. The truth is, she adjusts herself for her audience. Rare is the moment that goes by without her using her social skills and charm to manipulate those around her, and she does this partially by becoming the person others around her would most like her to be; or at least that's the plan. Deep down, she is smart, ambitious, and absolutely ruthless in the pursuit of her goals.


Still here/interested!

Grand Lodge

Jon-Wyn is still ready to go.


Ready and waiting.


Krokos, Werecrocodile-kin (skinwalker). Investigator 4
Trait: Raised in Secrecy

Here is a Google Doc Link to Character sheet

I will upload a full alias if selected.

backstory:

Krokos was raised in secrecy, hidden away from the world. His mother was a Red Mantis, his father he never knew. When he was older, she told him that he was one of her marks and that he was conceived while she was gaining his trust.
He spent his first thirteen years of life in near isolation. His mother brought him books, fine foods, and other luxuries from the outside world, but he was never allowed to see it. She told him that one day he would go out, but he was not ready yet. He yearned to see the people and places of his books, but he trusted his mother. His tiny one room palace was all he had ever known, so he waited. He waited, and learned, and read. Since he could not exercise his body, he exercised his mind.
He and his mother made a game of lies. They would weave intricate tapestries of lies about their day and what they had done. Little did he know that this was all part of something bigger. He was learning the cunning of an assassin.
On his thirteenth birthday, his mother was gone. There was no cake, no carefully wrapped present, no food. He was alone in his little luxurious prison. When he looked around the room for clues, he found that the door was unlocked. Not knowing what to do he waited, not even peeking out the door. Two days passed this way, and he was hungry. "What has happened to my mother?" he wondered. "Has she abandoned me?" "Is this another test?"
When he finally built up the courage, or hunger, to open the door he found himself in a sewer. His entire life he thought he was in a castle, or palace, or some other extravagant and luxurious building. Instead, he was in a capped off runoff chamber. The sewer was pitch black, and extended as far as he could see in the light escaping his room. In front of him there was a package. This one was not wrapped in exotic paper like the others. Instead it was simple paper, tied with twine. It was as if the butcher has left some scraps.
Inside the paper was a dagger, a handful of dried fruit and nuts, a tindertwig, and a note. The note simply read “I love you.” Krokos hurriedly devoured the food and grabbed his few supplies. He used the dagger to pry an oil lamp from the wall, and put his meager kit into a pillow case tied to his back.
Unfortunately for Krokos, the sewers were a labyrinth of corridors and dead ends. Several hours had passed and he was thoroughly lost. He was cold, wet, hungry, and scared. He saw a flicker of light in the distance and was immediately excited. He broke into a run, but his careless footwork soon came back to bite him. He slipped and fell straight into the muck. His lantern went fully under the water and suddenly, everything was pitch black. Krokos screamed. He screamed and screamed until his scream became more of a roar. He felt his back crack and bulge, his face tightened. After a few moments, he could see. There was no light, but he could see. He looked down to gather his supplies, and when he looked up again there was a figure standing in front of him. Her face was obscured by a red mask, she was armored in red and black. She reached out her arm and, in an unfamiliar voice, said, “Welcome, bother.”
The woman led him through the maze and out a hatch in an alley. It was the middle of the night, and upon seeing the sky and stars and moon for the first time, he nearly fainted with excitement. She led him to a warehouse.
It was now time for him to train. And train he did. For the next three years, the Red Mantis’ trained him. They taught him the way of stealth, of combat, and of the teachings of Achaekek. They honed his cunning into a weapon. They molded his social isolation into a form of sociopathy. Alone, he mastered his own power, his father’s gift. In the entire time he was training, he never saw his mother again. Three years to the day of his arrival at the mantis enclave, the 16th anniversary of his birth, she returned. She returned with a package of exotic paper, exactly the way she had before. Inside the package was the armor of a red mantis, a red mantis mask, and two ornate sawtooth sabres.
Today, Krokos is nineteen. He has been working as an assassin for three years. He has mastered a unique style of swordplay, his dual Sawtooth Sabres are held outward so that the sawblades face in, much like the mouth of a crocodile. He is a cautious and astute fighter, preferring to search for weakspots and vital points, rather than brute force.

Roleplay Points: Cold Blooded, Calculating, Intelligent, Cautious, Secretive, Intense devotion to Red Mantis members, Nonchalance towards death
Likes: Rich Food, Rare books and scrolls, Forgotten knowledge, Efficiency
Dislikes: Laziness, Ignorance, Wastefulness, Cats


We share a dislike of felines, my cold-blooded friend...


I present Deka, the sandman bard pirate!


Recruitment status update

Where we stand with about 20 hours left:

Champion of the Blessed: 5 good starts. I'd love to see any one of them brought to life.
Daniel Stewart: Zarko, Human urban ranger. Trait: Raised in Secrecy Complete
Pertreeko: Tengu swordmaster. Trait: Azir Native. Complete
GM Niles: Unnamed cleric. Human cleric. Trait: Offered as Payment. Complete
mechaPoet: Deka the Bilge Rat. Human Sandman Bard. Trait: Ilizmagorti Native. complete
giganinja: Eris Triguna, Kitsune Rakshasa-bloodline sorcerer. Trait: Raised in Secrecy. Complete
FangDragon: Sakage "Kage," Stygian slayer. Trait: Tith'Kali. Complete
Mark Sweetman: Tobar Pannell, Halfling Swashbuckler (mouser). Trait: Ilizmagorti Native. Complete
Digger Chandler: Cassandra Zamparelli, Half-elf Rogue/Investigator. Trait: Vengeance Was Mine. Complete
Jubal Breakbottle: Orsal Hort, Half-elf Slayer. Trait: Offered as Payment. Complete
aptinuviel: Qalendar, Human Witch. Trait: Raised in Secrecy. Complete
AdamWarnock: Jack, Tiefling fighter/ranger. Trait: Vengeance Was Mine.Complete
Dax Thura: Jon-Wyn, Half-Elf Rogue/Arcanist. Trait: Raised in Secrecy. Complete
Jelani:Yamyra Demir, Halfling Brawler/Monk/Swashbuckler. Trait: Vengeance Was Mine. Complete
Stormraven: The Red Minister, Aasimar Rogue/Warpriest. Trait: Raised in Secrecy. Complete
Eben theQuiet Kiddrik the Blackstone, Human Bladebound Kensai. Trait: Raised in Secrecy. Complete
jooker Krokos, Skinwalker Investigator. Trait: Raised in Secrecy. Complete

Wow, just about everyone's complete, with fantastic submissions. I'm tempted to close it now since it's going to be tough enough as it is, but I said Tuesday, so I'll leave it open 'till then.


For my own sake (and for any last-hour entrants'), here's the breakdown as I see it:
Arcane
Deka the Bilge Rat Bard
Eris Triguna Sorcerer
Qalendar Witch
Jon-Wyn Rogue/Arcanist -- going into Arcane Trickster
Kiddrik the Blackstone Kensai/Magus, bladebound

Divine
Unnamed cleric Cleric
The Red Minister Rogue/Warpriest

Skilled
Pertreeko Rogue swordmaster
Cassandra Zamparelli Rogue/Investigator
Krokos Investigator

Martial
Zarko Urban Ranger
Kage Stygian Slayer
Tobar Pannell Mouser Swashbuckler
Orsal Hort Slayer
Jack Fighter/Ranger
Yamyra Demir Brawler/Monk/Swashbuckler


FangDragon - I'm assuming you've read the Night Angel Trilogy? Great little series. Anyway, I enjoyed reading your background just now :)

Edit:Ah...you explicit state being inspired by Azoth. Forgot that was the protagonist's name at first.


Confirmatory hand raised.


Heya, gyrfalcon (aka Nyugusk) here, introducing Mama Bass, a halfling Investigator (offered as payment) built as a skill monkey & in a support role. Full crunch & backstory in profile but...

Mama Bess cares for one thing above all else: her family. The fact that her family is no longer a band of halfling peddlers, and are instead now a fanatical religious order of assassins, is irrelevant. There’s nothing more important than family, and Mama Bess does whatever she can to keep hers healthy, happy, and well fed.

Mechanically, her build attempts to make great use of Aid Another:
- the Helpful halfling trait improves her base Aid bonus to +4
- the Easy Aid talent to be able to give +4 to hit or AC as a Move (as well as as a Standard)
- and the Bodyguard feat to be able to use AoOs to grant +4 to AC

...and then of course she has extracts & a load of skills to make use of as well.

Anyway, Stalwart, this campaign seems like it has a ton of potential. I've wanted to try a stealth/intrigue focused game for a while now. Thanks for offering it...and I don't envy your choices!


I would have such a hard time picking a party from this list. Good luck Stalwart.


Another influence is The Lies of Locke Lamora, which is great although I wasn't so keen on the sequels.


I just tweaked Mama Bess a bit: added a level of Fighter (vengeful hunter) to give her a whip + weapon finesse, which she'll use to (a) improve her range and accuracy with Aid, and (b) give her the option to trip as well.

...and FangDragon, the Lies of Locke Lamora / Gentleman Bastard series is awesome, and is part of what's inspiring me for in this campaign.


I'd like to submit my human druid, Akhet Nazir. He is intended to be a combat druid and my goal is to toss out trips and grabs via wild shape since I'm anticipating more humanoid or monstrous humanoid targets that such maneuvers are useful against. Still a divine support caster, I'll be getting Natural Spell at lvl 5 (of course).

Background and statblock are in the profile and I took the Azir Native trait.


Campaign recruitment is now closed!

Stay tuned, I'll be making my selections This is going to be hard! tonight and should be posting the ones who get the spots in a few hours from now.


Whoever gets in... sharpen your blades for Eeeeeeevil!


Suuuussspppeeesesnnnssseeeee!!!!

Ahem ... I mean ... looking forward to it!


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Reposting the breakdown:
Arcane
Deka the Bilge Rat Bard
Eris Triguna Sorcerer
Qalendar Witch
Jon-Wyn Rogue/Arcanist -- going into Arcane Trickster
Kiddrik the Blackstone Kensai/Magus, bladebound

Divine
Unnamed cleric Cleric
The Red Minister Rogue/Warpriest
Akhet Nazir Druid

Skilled
Pertreeko Rogue swordmaster
Cassandra Zamparelli Rogue/Investigator
Krokos Investigator
Mama Bess Fighter/Investigator

Martial
Zarko Urban Ranger
Kage Stygian Slayer
Tobar Pannell Mouser Swashbuckler
Orsal Hort Slayer
Jack Fighter/Ranger
Yamyra Demir Brawler/Monk/Swashbuckler


Good luck all.


And here it is: the moment of truth!

I know it's customary for the Game Master to say a piece about how tough the selection was, and to be sad that more couldn't be selected. But let me assure you that this is no mere lip service. I am literally heart-broken that I couldn't include more. This sucks in so many ways. I've got eighteen. Eighteen! Eighteen applicants that really deserve to be in games, and to be rewarded for all the thought and effort that they put in to this.

I don't know if you all remember that in the original post, I was thinking 3-4. Just a small, crack team of infiltrators for some tight missions. Well, I've thrown that out the window.

What did it was the variety. The personalities. The effort and the creativity in these submissions. I've gotta learn more about these characters. So I'm going with six.

That still leaves twelve (TWELVE!) great characters on the outside looking in. If anyone wants to take this idea and run with it with some of these great characters you absolutely have my blessing. And my attention (since I'll be following it if that happens).

So here are my selections:

Eris Triguna, Kitsune Sorcerer (Rakshasa bloodline)
Sakuge "Kage," Human Slayer (Stygian Slayer)
Yamyra Demir, Halfling Brawler/Monk/Swb
The Red Minister, Aasimar Rogue/Warpriest
Kiddrik the Blackstone, Human Bladebound Kensai
Mama Bess, Halfling Investigator/Fighter

EDIT: Oh, yeah. Go over to the Discussion page (there should be a tab by now) and see what I've got in store for you. Introduce yourself, ask questions, meet the rest of the players, and so on.

Again, to the rest of you, hat's off, >bows< and thank you for wonderful submissions.


Thanks for the pick :) Very excited!

Where should we go?


Here is the Discussion page.


Grats and good luck to those who made it in. :D


Pertreeko salutes with one of his shortswords and leaves.


Okay, we've had one of our players disappear on us. Who out there is still interested in this campaign? It's slowed up thanks to the holidays (I really should think about this before I start up these things) but if you'd like to pop in and let me know of your continued interest, I might bring you in.


Are you accepting new submissions at all?


Knock yourself out.

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

How long will recruitment remain open? I need some time tonight to put something together but I don't want to waste anyone's time if recruitment is almost over.


I was hoping to do this fast, but I might take a few days, just to see what I get.

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

Alright. I will work something up then.

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